Toilet Overflow Preventer

ABSTRACT

A toilet overflow preventer includes an overflow sensor configured to extend into the interior of a toilet bowl. The overflow sensor includes a housing having a liquid-porous bottom with a switch located inside the housing. A battery is in electrical communication with the overflow sensor. An actuator assembly is connected to the battery and the overflow sensor. The actuator assembly includes an actuator having an actuator arm moveable from a first position not in contact with the toilet flush valve to a second position in contact with the toilet flush valve based upon a signal from the overflow sensor switch.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Application Ser. No.61/326,265, filed Apr. 21, 2010, herein incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to toilets and, in one particularembodiment, to an assembly for preventing the toilet bowl fromoverflowing onto the bathroom floor.

2. Technical Considerations

Almost everyone has at one time or another had to deal with the problemof a clogged toilet bowl. Toilet bowls can become clogged for manyreasons. For example, the discharge line can become obstructed due toexcessive waste matter, toilet tissue, or the flushing of inappropriatearticles. The undesired result is typically a toilet bowl overflow,which can lead to unsanitary conditions or even property damage causedby the overflowing water.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device that can detect andprevent a toilet bowl overflow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A toilet overflow preventer comprises an overflow sensor configured toextend into the interior of a toilet bowl. An electrical power source isconnected to the overflow sensor. An actuator assembly (which can belocated inside the toilet bowl tank) is connected to the overflow sensorsuch that activation of the overflow sensor causes the actuator assemblyto close the toilet flush valve.

Another toilet overflow preventer comprises an overflow sensorconfigured to extend into the interior of a toilet bowl. The overflowsensor comprises a housing having a liquid-porous bottom with a switchlocated inside the housing. A battery is in electrical communicationwith the overflow sensor. An actuator assembly is connected to thebattery and the overflow sensor. The actuator assembly comprises anactuator having a movable actuator arm, for example, moveable from afirst position not in contact with the toilet flush valve to a secondposition in contact with the toilet flush valve based upon a signal fromthe overflow sensor switch.

An exemplary overflow preventer of the invention will be described withreference to the following drawing figures wherein like referencenumbers identify like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is front, elevated view of a conventional toilet incorporating anoverflow preventer of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a sensor housing of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an interior view of a sensor housing of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

As used herein, spatial or directional terms, such as “left”, “right”,“inner”, “outer”, “above”, “below”, and the like, relate to theinvention as it is shown in the drawing figures. However, it is to beunderstood that the invention can assume various alternativeorientations and, accordingly, such terms are not to be considered aslimiting.

A conventional toilet 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The components andoperation of a conventional toilet will be well understood by one ofordinary skill in the art and, therefore, will not be described indetail. The toilet 10 components will first be described and then theoverflow preventer of the invention will be described. The toilet 10 hasa seat portion 12 comprising a bowl 14 having a rim 16. A waste drain,typically referred to as a siphon jet 18, is located at the bottom ofthe bowl 14. The siphon jet 18 leads to a siphon (waste discharge) atthe back of the bowl 14. A tank 20 is located above the seat portion 12and has a hollow interior configured to hold water. A filler tube 24having a filler float 26 and a filler valve (28) is located in the tank.The filler tube 24 is connected to a source of water via the fillervalve 28. The filler valve 28 is in operational connection with thefiller float 26. An overflow tube 30 is also located in the interior ofthe tank 20 and has a hollow interior in flow communication with thetoilet bowl 14.

A drain 32 is located in the interior of the tank 20 and is in flowcommunication with the interior of the bowl 14. A flush valve 34, suchas a conventional flapper valve, is configured to close-off the drain32. The flush valve 34 is connected to a handle 36, such as by a lever38 having a chain 40 connected to the flush valve 34.

Under normal circumstances, when the toilet 10 is to be flushed, thehandle 36 is depressed. This lifts the flush valve 34 and allows waterfrom the interior of the tank 20 to flow into the bowl 14 through thedrain 9 and flush material out of the bowl 14 through the siphon jet 18.As the water leaves the tank 20, the filler float 26 descends on thefiller tube 24. This activates the filler valve 28 to allow water flowinto the interior of the tank 20 through the filler tube 24. As thewater begins to refill the tank 20, the filler float 26 rises on thefiller tube 24 until it rises to a position to close the filler valve 28and stop water flow into the tank 20.

Should the siphon jet 18 become clogged, such as by the insertion ofchildren's toys or other inappropriate objects, water entering the bowl14 through the drain 32 will rise in the bowl 14 and then overflow ontothe bathroom floor.

However, an overflow preventer of the invention can prevent thisundesirable occurrence. An exemplary overflow preventer 50 of theinvention is shown in FIG. 1. The components of the overflow preventer50 will first be described and then the operation of the overflowpreventer 50 will be described. The overflow preventer 50 includes anoverflow sensor 52 configured to extend into the interior of the bowl14. In the illustrated embodiment, the overflow sensor 52 is attached tothe rim 16 of the bowl 14, such as by a hook or hanger 54. The overflowsensor 52 includes a housing 56 having a liquid permeable bottom 58 (seeFIG. 2). The bottom 58 can either be completely open or can have ascreen or mesh across the opening to allow liquid (water) to enter butprevent material entering the housing 56. The overflow sensor 52 caninclude a switch 60 (see FIG. 3), such as a conventional two positionlimit switch or arm switch. One switch particularly suitable for thepresent invention is a “momentary push button switch” (part number275-1547) commercially available from Radio Shack.

The overflow sensor 52 (i.e., the switch 60) is connected to anelectrical power source 62, such as by a cable or wire 64. While in thebroad practice of the invention the electrical power source 62 can beany conventional electrical source, in one particular embodiment, theelectrical power source 62 includes a battery, such as a nine-voltbattery. The use of such a battery rather than electricity from aconventional wall outlet decreases the possibility of electrical shockto a user.

An actuator assembly 70 is connected to the electrical power source 62via a cable or wire 71. The actuator assembly 70 is also connected tothe overflow sensor 52, for example, by a cable or wire. In theillustrated embodiment, the actuator assembly 70 is positioned in theinterior of the tank 20 and includes a movable actuator 72 having anactuator arm 74. The actuator 72 can be of any conventional type, suchas an electrical actuator. The actuator arm 74 can be a straight,telescoping arm or can be an articulated arm, as shown in FIG. 1. In theillustrated embodiment, the actuator assembly 70 is connected to theoverflow tube 30 by conventional bands or straps 76. However, it is tobe appreciated that the actuator assembly 70 need not be connected withthe overflow tube 30 but could be positioned anywhere in the interior ofthe tank 20 to operate as described below. Operation of the overflowpreventer 50 will now be described.

Should the siphon jet 18 become clogged and the water begin to rise inthe bowl 14, the water enters the bottom 58 of the overflow sensorhousing 56 and actuates the switch 60 (such as by raising the lever armof the switch from an inactive to an active state). The signal from theswitch 60 activates the actuator 72. Upon activation, the actuator 72extends the actuator aim 74 from the position shown in FIG. 1 downwardlyto press against the top of the flush valve 34 to press the flush valve34 downwardly to close the drain 32. This prevents water from theinterior of the tank 20 flowing through the drain 32 and into the bowl14 and prevents the water in the toilet bowl 14 from overflowing ontothe bathroom floor. The water fills up the tank 20 until the fillerfloat 26 rises to a position to close the filler valve 28 and stop theflow of water into the tank 20.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art thatmodifications may be made to the invention without departing from theconcepts disclosed in the foregoing description. Accordingly, theparticular embodiments described in detail herein are illustrative onlyand are not limiting to the scope of the invention, which is to be giventhe full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalentsthereof.

1. A toilet overflow preventer, comprising: an overflow sensorconfigured to extend into the interior of a toilet bowl; an electricalpower source connected to the overflow sensor; and an actuator assemblyconnected to the overflow sensor and the electrical power source suchthat activation of the overflow sensor causes the actuator assembly tomechanically close a toilet flush valve.
 2. The overflow preventer ofclaim 1, wherein the overflow sensor includes a housing having a porousbottom.
 3. The preventer of claim 1, wherein the overflow sensorincludes a float switch.
 4. The preventer of claim 1, wherein theelectrical power source is a battery.
 5. The preventer of claim 1,wherein the actuator assembly includes an actuator having an actuatorarm, with the actuator arm configured to move from a first position notcontacting a flush valve to a second position pressing a flush valveagainst a tank drain.
 6. A toilet overflow preventer, comprising: anoverflow sensor comprising a housing having a liquid permeable bottomand a two-position switch located in the housing; a battery connected tothe overflow sensor; an actuator assembly connected to the overflowsensor and the battery, the actuator assembly comprising an actuatorhaving an actuator arm movable from a first position to a secondposition.
 7. A toilet having an overflow preventer, comprising: a toilethaving a toilet bowl, a rim, and a flush valve; an overflow sensorconnected to the rim and extending into the interior of the toilet bowl,the overflow sensor comprising a housing having a liquid-porous bottomwith a switch located inside the housing; a battery in electricalcommunication with the overflow sensor; an actuator assembly connectedto the battery and the overflow sensor, the actuator assembly comprisingan actuator having an actuator arm moveable from a first position not incontact with the toilet flush valve to a second position in contact withthe toilet flush valve based upon a signal from the overflow sensorswitch.